Developer pitches Alfalfa's for controversial Safeway site in Louisville

Georgia Landrus enjoys the warm weather while going for a walk on her lunch break in front of the old Safeway location in the Village Square in Louisville. Developer Jim Loftus has submitted a new proposal to redevelop the site after Louisville rejected his first attempt. (Jeremy Papasso / Daily Camera file photo)

LOUISVILLE -- Jim Loftus -- the developer whose proposal to build a dense apartment complex at the former Safeway property on South Boulder Road was shot down in June -- has submitted a new proposal to the city that could incorporate a smaller complex and the possibility of an Alfalfa's Market.

Louisville Economic Development Director Aaron DeJong said Loftus has submitted a new development application for the parcel at 707 South Boulder Road that proposed 110 to 120 apartment units and 33,000 square feet of retail space.

DeJong would not confirm if the city has spoken directly with Alfalfa's representatives, but said Loftus' redevelopment plans show the grocer in a 22,000-square-foot building.

"This is how we know Alfalfa's is interested in being a tenant on the site," he said.

DeJong said the lower housing unit count, combined with the possibility of bringing a natural foods grocer to Louisville, changes the conversation about the developer's initial plans.

"Those are two big game-changers for revisiting this redevelopment application," he said, adding that the city continued to work with Loftus after the City Council voted against his proposal.

DeJong said the development plan for the 5-acre site is set to go to the Louisville Planning Commission in late October with hopes of bringing it to City Council during the board's Nov. 20 meeting.

"As with big projects, it could take longer, but that's our current plan," he said.

DeJong said it would be a good thing if Louisville was the location for Alfalfa's first big expansion. The company has a single store in Boulder.

He said he anticipates staff creating a business assistance package to incentivize the grocer to open in the Village Square shopping center.

Loftus earlier this year brought forward a 195-unit high-end apartment complex plan for the Safeway site. The Planning Commission recommended denial of the proposal in March, calling it overly dense and incompatible with the surrounding neighborhoods.

At the time, the commission was considering a scaled-back project with 180 rental units and 10,000 square feet of retail space and Loftus reduced his project to 160 residential units and 9,500 square feet of retail in May.

Dan DelCarpio, general manager of Ralphie's Sports Tavern, said it's ironic that a shopping plaza -- which some say needs an anchor retailer -- sports a sign that reads, "Village Square" and "The Happening Place to Be!" next to an empty storefront.

"It's an old sign. It used to be the happening place, I guess," DelCarpio said.

Ralphie's and Walgreen's are the largest current retailers in the complex. The former Safeway building has been vacant since 2010 and, while some residents spoke out against Loftus' proposal during several council and neighborhood meetings since, others, including business owners in Village Square, are hoping something will move in.

"Anything's better than nothing has been my philosophy," DelCarpio said, noting that he would be happy with additional housing or a retailer coming to the center.

"You get more traffic with a big store, but with apartments ... you have a couple hundred people in walking distance of your bar," he added.

Ralphie's moved in just as Safeway made its exit more than two years ago and DelCarpio said he hopes some sort of proposal is accepted "or it will just sit dead."

Sonja Tuitele, a spokeswoman for Alfalfa's, in early July said that company officials were looking at the site of the former Safeway as a possible location for a new store and are targeting a new store for a late 2013 or early 2014 opening.

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